Mysterious Meddling in Democratic Primaries Has G.O.P. Fingerprints
Excerpt covering the Texas CD35 race:
“‘They’re going into Democratic primaries and literally trying to boost the most extreme candidates and oppose the Blue Dog-endorsed candidates that, if they win, are going to beat the Republicans in the general,’ Mr. Gray said in an interview.
One Democratic candidate who has received a recent boost is Maureen Galindo in Texas’ 35th Congressional District, a seat redrawn by Republicans last year. Party leaders, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the PAC aligned with the moderate Blue Dogs, are backing Johnny Garcia, who has worked in the local sheriff’s office. Ms. Galindo raised less than $10,000 through March but narrowly finished first in the initial primary two months ago, advancing to a runoff at the end of May.
A bilingual, pro-Galindo mailer said she was a ‘progressive Democrat’ who would dismantle ICE and force Mr. Trump’s impeachment.
In a text message, Ms. Galindo suggested the money for the mailer had come from ‘a billionaire zionist who made the pac to sabotage candidates,’ using the type of language that has previously prompted charges of antisemitism, including from Senator Jacky Rosen, Democrat of Nevada, and Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, who called her ‘openly bigoted.’
‘Dems and Republicans uniting against me in the same week with the same message is evidence that theyre working together for the zionist billionaires that control our government and tax money,’ Ms. Galindo said in a message.
Some Democrats sought to censure Republicans for embracing a win-at-all-cost strategy, even when that means elevating an unfit candidate.
‘I think the Republicans need to answer for promoting an antisemite,’ said Brian Romick, president of the Democratic Majority for Israel PAC, which is spending in favor of Mr. Garcia.
On Tuesday, the Lead Left PAC began to reserve at least $80,000 in the Texas race, and the Blue Dog PAC announced plans to spend $450,000 in the race.”